Feeler-motion for looms.



H. A. OWEN.

FEELER MOTION FOR LOOMS. U F APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3, I916. V1,278,732. I I v PatentegISept.10;1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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Z67a656: K ihven'tor' H. A. OWEN.

FEELER MOTION FOR LOOMS.

APPLICATION HLED JAN. 3.1915,

1,278,732. Patented Sept. 10,1918.

5 'SHEETS-SHEET 3. I

1 nnnnnununnnnunnp Fayed .21 Q 6 7 6 H. A. OWEN FEELER MOTION FOR LOOMS.

APPLICATION men mm a. 1915.

Patented Sept. 10,1918

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

[n 06 2'2 (0)" KMAMNGMQW am ness H. A. OWEN.

FEELER MOTION FOR LOUMS.

APPLICATION man um. 3,1915,

Patented Sept. 10, 1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

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f to

,to the accompanying drawings.

" UNITED STATES Pa ENT OFFICE.

HENRY A. OWEN, OF WHI'IINSVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGN-i -MEN'IS, TO DBAPER CORPORATION, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ACORPORA- TION OF MAINE.

FEELER-MOTION non Looms.

Application filed January 13,1916. Serial at. 69,742.

Be known that I HENRY A. a citizen of the United States, residmg at'Whitinsville, in the a county of Worcester, State of Massachusetts,have mvented a certain new and useful Improvement in F eeler- Motionsfor Looms, of'which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein feeler-motions such as are employed in looms for detectingwhen the su ply of weft or filling contained in a shutt' e on the .layofa loom has become exhausted to a predetermined extent.

Theinvention has relation to l The invention comprises improvements inthe feeler-tip or contact point of a feelermotion. It comprises, also, abrace or rein'force for the said -feeler-tip or contact-" portion. Itcomprises -further, improve- -1ne'nts in the feeler-member, proper, andin the actuator by which-movement is transmitted for indicatmg purposes;in the means for defining' the normal pos tionof the; feeler-member, andin the means for defining the engaging position of the actuator; in thetension means for the feelermember;

* and in the portion of the controller which I bodiments appliedthereto. i

on the-same scale as Fig. 2. V .15

is engaged by the actuator fgr the actuation .fof the controller by theactuator and also in certain other features hereinafter described.

The drawings show illustrative embodiments of the variousimprovements"which are comprised in the. invention.

In the drawings;-

, Figure 1 is a plan view of portions of a" loomtwith certain of saidillustrative em- Fig. 2 is a side elevation on a larger scale ofthefeeler devices, the supporting means therefor, and the parts that aremore immediately associated with the feeler devices.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the feeler devices Fig.4 is La view partly insection in a vertical plane near the feeler-controlled dog of theindicating devices. 1

Fig. 5 is aview showing the said dog attached, in" side elevation, andFig. 6 is an endview thereof.

Figs. 7 and 8 are views of the supporting arm for the said dog. 5

. Figs 9 to 21, Sheet 3, are views of details, including the,feeler-tip, its supporting 'tions, both containing the general bracket10' that is fixedl means, its-reinforce, and the tension-reguseciflcation of Letters Patent: Patentd Sept. 1918 i lating meansemployed in connection wlth the feeler-tip.

Figs. 22 to, 26, Sheet 2 are views showing modified forms offeeler-tips, and'actuators. Fig. 27, Sheet 3, shows separately 9. pinfor locking the feelerecarrier forward.

Fig. 28, Sheet 5,'is a View similar to Fig. 1, showing a fecler mountedto slide instead of swing. i

Having reference to the drawings- The drawings show the yariousimprovements embodied in two forms of feelei' moplesof that shown,described and c aimed 1n U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,127,086,

therefor. At a is the body of t e feelermember. The feeler-mernber, asusual, is supported in a. osition to place. its tip, contact-point, oreeling-end, in line with an opening or slot 2 in the front-plate 3 ofone 'of the shuttle-boxes of the lay 4, so that the beats 11p. In thefirst form of embodiment shown in the drawings, the carrier 8' u onwhich the feeler-member a is mounte is constitutedg by a horiz'ontal armor lever,

and is pivoted at 9 'upon a rearwardly curved arm at the inner end' ofa. su porting secured to the loom-frame at one end 0 the breast-beamrinciv granted Feb. 2, 1915,, upon my a .plication' 11. A contractingspiral spring'll, having one. end thereof engaged, as at 8, Figs. 1" land 3, with a projection from the carrierB, and the other end thereofengaged,,as at 10*, with the said curved arm of the supportmg bracket10, acts to hold the carrier with yielding force normally in a rearwardposition, such (position being defined by a stop k In the sat normalposition, the tip, contact point, or feeling-end of the feelerispre'sented in position tobe encountered by the said w'ound mass as the layadvances. The. carrier is, asgheretofore, movable from rear tofront'andvme v'ersa. inthe loom, and is inf adapted to be driven forwardin the loom by the forwardly acting push ofthe said'wound mass a ainstthe tip, contact-point, or feeling-en and to be returned rearward againto its position determined by the stop I) through the action of thespring 11. To

enable the normal position the engaging extremity of the. feelermember ato be shifted rearward or forward so that the contentsof the shuttlemayencounter such extremity earlier or later in the advance of the lay,as may be desired, the stop is made passes"through ahole'in a verticalportion of stand 10. The said scre'iwthreaded stem the said portion ofthe stand.

adjustable so that its acting portion may be set backward or forward, asrequired. This constitutes one feature of the invention. In the presentinsta'nee,-tbe forwardly extending stem of the stop 6 is screw-threadedand has nuts 6-, Z), thereon atopposite sides of providefor theadjustment;

As in the. case of the feeler-niember of the patent aforesaid, thefeeler-member a of the said first form of "embodiment is mounted uponvarearward extension of the outer extremity of the carrier-arm or lever 8so as to I cause the-tip or contact-point to travel in straight line.

an outwardly convex arc of comparatively slight curvature. In a secondform'of enrbOdiment which presently will be described,

the feeler-carrier is mounted to move in. a As in the patent aforesaid,lateral displacement of the feeler-member lengthwise of the shuttle bythe contact pressure when the supply of weftor'filling con tained withinthe shuttle is exhausted to a predetermined extent is provided for inboth oft'he forms of embodiment shown herein bymou'i'itingthefeeler-member upon a vertical pivot 13:in connection with thefeeler-carri'er 8 so that thc-feeler-memb'er may swing.

transversely in a: horizontal plane relative to the feeler-carrier, andlengthwise-of the lilling-carrier- ,within the shuttle. Also, theexlater'ally with respect to the pivot 13 so that filling maj- .-ta k'eeffect upon the-said extremity atone side of-thc said'p'ivot,-Witl 1 atendency to swing the feclcr-mcmljier around the'pivot.

As in-th patent, also, aspring is employed "for the purpose of keepingthe feeler-membei- -yieldingly in its normal position upon I thefeeler-carricr,"and; returning it-to such posi-tion after displacementtherefrom. The

3 first form of embodiment containga'spring emp l eyed for cforrning'a.p'r "t-of the present invention and l The said spring 8,,suchstop. serving 1' "define tuator forming a part of the feeler-mcmbe'r,

The said nuts in a slot 19* in the said overhanging portion,

"to hold it normally'in the. position occupied quired change in theworking of the loom are trernity of ltS tlp or contact-point is'ofisettion' of :thc .*feele'vineinber e extent of,the i vention are cn iodied"in connection with these two stops; presently will be made to appear.Asyin the patent, further, an. no?

or carried thereby, coacts with acontroller 18 when the lateraldisplacement of the feeler-member takes place, so as to actuate the saidcontroller during the forward stroke of the. feeler-member andfeeler-carrier, and thereby indicate for the requiredchangein theworking of the loom. I have shown at f, Figs. 1, 2, 3. an actuatorembodyingfeatures of the present-invention. The controller 18 is alever, as in the patent, and is mounted upon a vertical pivot 19'carriedby anoverhanging rcarward'ly ext-endingportion 10 of the supportingstand. The'pivot 19 is ad ustable in the direction from front to rear itbeing made fast in adjusted position by means of a nutlf)? and' washer19". A spring 21 engaging with the said controller operates by it inFig. 1, namely with its outer end rearward. I This position is definedby'the adjustable stop constituting a feature of the present invention.The said adjustable .stop is, in the illustrated embodiments of theinvention, a screw fitted to a threaded loo hole that is tapped in anupstan ing portion of the supporting stand, with its rear end inposition to be rnconntered by controller; 18 as the latter swings underthe actiolrofithe spring 21. A check-nut g applied to the threaded stemof the said screw serves to prevent accidental loss of adjustn'ient. Thedevices 'shown in the drawings 'throngh which the controller operatesto'call the reward 'in' front of the breast-beam against i ,the frontsurface of which itre'sts normally,

and that portion of the arm carrying the pivot 23 projects rearwardabove the breastbeam, alongside the viuitt-fork slide 27. The

, shoulder 22 at thc rear end of the dog 22 i s adapted t'oefbeengagedby. a striker 28 .ea-rried by the weft-hannner QQJ JfFhGEHSUaI' -il'ett.-fork 3!) is mountedpivotal upon end o-f'thc weft-fork sl-idej27:

l have shown herein fcclcr-tipsbr coritact -"points of" two forms. Onelthe'ro ffim j when the said edge contacts with a mass of' 'withacomparatively blunt'vertical edge for contact with the wound mass ofweft 'or filling contained within the shuttle 6. This j form is giventhe said shape in order that weft or filling of any thickness it mayindent the exterior of such mass slightly. The

other thereof, marked 2', -(shown in Figs. 22 and 23) has a transverselybroadened rear extremity that is formed with teeth having vertical edgesor shoulders, the back of the I inner tooth being narrow transversely,and preferably somewhat rounded, as shown, so

as to make in efi e'ct a kind of heel. The projecting portions of theteeth of this form of feeler-tip or'tcontact-point are intended to pressmore or less into the coils of the mass of filling'which is carriedagainst them,

- so that the shoulders of the teeth may engage with adjacent coils toprevent outward lateral displacement 'of the tip or contact point solong as the said mass of weft or filling is sufiiciently thick andyieldingto permit the teeth to sink into the same. However, when themass of weftlor filling has become substantially exhausted so that whenthe feeling contact takes place the coils alongside the tooth or teethof the acting extremity ofthe feeler-tip or contact-point do not standout sufiiciently to holdjhe -said tooth or teeth from outwarddisplacement, said displacement will take place, so that thefeeler-member will swing around its pivot 13 upon the carrier 8, and theactuator that is combined with the feeler -me1nber will be placedthereby in position to engage contact-points are made may wary inprachave found that improved results may be atti ce.

tendency to wear and abrade or cut the coils contact, and particularly wen 'the'coils are subjected to repeated contact between the ifeeler -tior contact-point and a metal shuttle;spin' 1e, as in the case ofcop-filling. I

tained through the employment of nonmetallic material. The best resultshave been attained'through the employment of socalled fiber, of whichvulcanizedfiber' is an instance. This particular material, a or muchresearch, has been found to posa critical degree of resilience andslips, which even under very considerpressure of the impact under whichthe feeler operates, refusesito injure fine yarns or indent or injnrethe surface of enameled bobbins, preferring to slip thereon or on theyarn. Thefirst form, h, of feeler -ti or ontachpq nt isinthesha e ofa r0of a In some cases they have been made of metal. Metal, however, hasmore or less' but it is convenient to have its stem-cylindrical. Thesecond form of feeler, i, is made with a rod-like stem, w'hichconveniently is or ay 'be cylindrical in cross-section, alth gh in thecase of this form the crosssecfiional dimensions of its toothed rear-endportion may exceed those of the stem, as shown, In this form the contacttip has projecti heel and toe portions, as indi; cated in ig. 22, givingit a serrated contact surface.

To obviate necessity for entrance of the bodyportion of thefeeler-membera into the slots 2 and ,5 of the front wall 3 of the shuttle-box and thefront wall of the shuttlebody, the portion ofthe feeler-tip orcontact-point. projecting at the rear of the body of the feeler-niemberis made of sufficient length to project through the said slots and intocontact at its extremity with the barrelofa bobbin, or with the shuttlespindle in case of the use of cop-filling. 'In case of the employment ofa front swell or binder in connection with the shuttle-box, such swellor hinder .will be slotted, as in the caseof front-plate 3, and thefeeler-tip ot-contact point h or i will be long enough to extend throughthe slot. 'To obviate springing of the projecting portion of the 'feelertip or within these sleeves, which latter extend as close as may befound advisable to the acting extremities of the f-eeleri-tips orcontact polnts. These braces" or reinforces are in each instance carriedby the feeler-member' a. The-drawings show sleeve-like braces orreinforces that are of propershape in cross-';

section (cylindrical in the present instances) ,7

115 or contact-points The brace 01 reinforce to fit the cylindricalstems of thefeeler-tips marked 71: is slitted throughout its length, asat l, to render it expansible and compressible. Its expansibilityenables 'it to receive a feeler-tip stem that is slightly largerin'fidiameter than its own normal internal. dia-me-- ter, and itscompressibility enables it..to be compressed upon a stem which fitsloosely within it. 'Themodified form of brace or reinforce k i slittedlongitudinally at Z only throughout the greater portion of its length,namely the portion which is entered within the socket of thefeeler-member,'t he rearmost portionof the brace or reinforce being"left unslitted.

' the feeler-tips or contactpoints are i-ncl'osed Ilia t Cit Lil.

-side-port-ion s may be drawn together to clamp thest'em of thefeeler-t-ip or contactpomt, or the brace or reinforce and said stem,between them. This construction provides for compressing the split braceor reinforce tightly and snugly upon the stem of the feeler-tip orcontactpoint. so as to hold both the brace or reinforce and thefeelertip or contact-point in place in connection with the feeler-membert and in the desired oi-king relation with each other. It pro-.

vides, also, forthe convenient application or removal of the feeler-tipor contact-point, or of the said tip or point and said brace orreinforce, and provides also for adjustment of the fecler-tip or thebrace or reinforce in the direction. of the length thereof relatively tothe feeler-member a, aswell as for independent 1 adjustment of thefeeler-tip aml brace or reinforce, respectively.

In order to reduce the cost of manufacture 1 preferably make thefeeler-member "u. or more properly the body-portion thereof, by castingthe same. The actuatt'irj which engages with the controller for theactuation of the latter 1 preferably make of harder material, as forinstance. hardened steel. in order that the portion thereof which actsupon the controllermay not wear rapidly.-

To this end. therefore, I provide forthe atlaclnnent of a separatelyformed actuator- )iece to the body-portion of the feeler-mem- J01. l.have here shown an actuator-piece or actuator having a head of suitable.shape for engagement with the controller and a stem f projectingtherefrom. and the forwardly extending arm 11 of the fccler-mcmbcr isbored to receive the'said stem and provided with a. clalnpin 'screw 11.,the threaded stem of which occupies a threaded hole m, Figs. 11 and 12,tapped in said arm, and engages by its inner end with the said stem 7"to hold the actuator in place. In other words I furnish the actuatorwith a, stem and provide the body of the feeler-mcmber with a socketwhich receives the said stem, and with means to clamp the stem in thesaid socket. The construction as shown herein provides for adjustment ofthe actuator in the direction of the length of its stem by setting thesaid stem farther in or out of'the said socket. I employ the sameconstruction in the case of 'theportion of thecontroller which-isengaged the actuator, That; is to say, I furnish the controller with anengagingportion 18 made of steel, havin ahead shaped properly to beengaged by t 1e actuator and I short lengths also having a stem, thecontroller having a socket which receives the said stem, and a clamplngscrew 18 which binds against the in place. This construction providesfor adjustment of the en gin'g portion 18 of the controller transverselywith relation to the path of the actuator in the movement of the feeler.and feeler-carrier forward under the pressure that is applied to theacting extremity of the feeler. The actuator f and engaging portion 18of the controller may advantageously be produced by taking of rod squarein cross-section, and turning portions. of such lengths down to producethe stems.

I provide for adjustment of the actuator angularly' relative to thefeeler-carrier S. This adjustment may be attained in several differentways. In the first way shown in the drawings the feelermember is made intwo parts which are secured together with capacity for relative angularshift or adjustment to secure the ad ustment of the actuator that hasustbecn mentioned.

arm a carrying the actuator f. are made as separate pieces. the saidbody being formed with a hole (15" lor the reception of the pivotal pin13, and with an upwardly extending'hub pivotal axis about which thefeeler-member turns upon the Thus the body of the feelermcmber, and itsforwardly extending.

' said stem to make the engaging portion fast threaded hole o Fig. 11,that is tapped in the eye-portion of the arm. and being arranged toengage by its inner end against the exterior of the hub to secure theparts together in the required angular relationship. This constructionpermits the arm to be set at any required angle with respect to thebody-portion. The constrm-tion of the parts providing for adjustablyconnecting them together may be varied. The actuator may be ad ustablymounted upon and secured in place upon the forwardly projecting arm ofthe feeler l'nember, or even upon the body-portion of the said.feeler-member. One mode ofcarrying this idea. into effect is shown inFig. 24, and consists in connecting the actuator f with the top of theforwardly-projecting arm of the feeler-inember by means of a screw f"serving both as a pivot and as a means of clamping the actuator inplace. This permits tlie'free or engaging end of the actuator to besetin' proper relation transversely to the portion of the controller withwhich it is intended toenga e. Another way of securing the same en isshown in Figs. 25 and 26. It consists in forming the actuator, ",as abar or block and provldlng a transverse groove 1n theforwardly-projecting arm of the feelermember for its rece tion. Thewalls of the oove serve'to con ne the actuator between t em, but leaveit capable of being shifted transversely of the said arm. The actuatoris fastened to the arm by means of a clamping screw, f,' the stem ofwhich passes through a slot 7?? in the actuator, the length l of the,said slot being extended transversely lilo ' to permit of the saidadjustment.

In practice it is desirable to have pro VlS l'OllS for adjusting thetenslon. of the feeler-member, and to this end I. provide means foradjusting the tension of the feeler- Inelnber spring. Thespring 0 shownin the drawings is composed of astraight length of spring material,shown as a wire, although a blade-spring might be employed. One end ofthe spring is'engaged with the feeler-member, and theother is madefast-by means of aclampingscrew 0 in a suitable socket that 1s provided-1n connectlon with a forward extension of the carrier or carrier-,member. .The adjustment-provisions com prise a screw 0 shown separatelyin Fi 19, working transversely in a threaded ho e that is tapped throughthe said extension of the carrier or carrier-member; The outer end ofthe said screw is inoperative engagement with the springso as to controlthe latter, and by adjustment of the screw the spring may be flexed totheextent required for opposing the to the turning o the feeler-memberon its pivot under the push of the wound supply of weft or fillingthereagainst.

The adjustment screw 0? is provided with a check-nut 0 to preventaccidental loss of adjustment. The said screw may engage directly withthe spring 0, but preferably I provide the acting end of the said screwwith a loose cap 0 (shownvseparately in Figs. 20 and 21,) which fitsupon the said end and intervenes between suchrend and the spring. Thiscap is grooved transversely in its outer face, as at'c, to receive thespring 0, so-that by'means of the walls of the said groove the spring isprevented from slippin off from the cap. When the screw isturne forpurposes of adjustment, its end turns within the cap, 'which is heldfrom turning ,through the engagement of the springin the groove. In casethe tension screw is emlayed withoutthe loose-cap the acting end thescrew may be provided with notches or grooves crossing the'same atriglit angles, in

which cases, finer adjustment of the tension of the spring will bepossible, inasmuch as roper degree of resistance in turnin the screw theadjustment may be of the single groove or notch. When the spring engagesdirectly with the notched end 1,278,782 a I E i of the screw, thelock-nut 0 may be'omitted.

Through adjustment of the tension of the feeler-member the readinesswith which the latter yields so as to become displaced latera1 a may beregulated for the purpose of secdringthe desired action in ractice, andde-, tei'mlnlng the extent of ex a'ustion of the weft or filling atwhich the feeler-motion: shallindicate. The'higher the tension, thecloser. will "be the approach to complete exha'ustion, and vice versa.With the same general purpose in view; I make provision for varying theextent to which the acting extremity of the actuator is offset laterallywith respect to the line from front to rear passing through the pivotalaxis of the feeler-member. It will be obvious that-the greater theextent of the lateral offsetting be the case the less the extent of thelateral;

offsetting. These last mentioned provisions comprise the adjustablestop-screw cl, it having its threaded stem fitted to a threaded" holethat is tapped, through an upstanding lug 8 of the carrier-member, theinner end of the said stem being disposed in position to engage with theforwardly extending arm a? of the 'feeler-member as the latter is turnedupon its pivot through the action of the spring. extent to which thefeeler-member is caused to turn around its pivot under the action of thes rin may be varied as required, and

there y t e extent towhich the acting extremity .of the actuator isoffset when 1n its normal position may be varied as may be required inorder to secure the desired results in operation, A lock-nut d upon thisadjusting stop-screw-serves to prevent acci: dental loss of adjustment.i l

To limit the extent of the-lateral swing ing displacement of thefeeler-mernber, t e second stop'screw e is applied to the sameupstanding lug of the carrier-member, with its rear end in proximity tothelaterally ex tending portion of the body of the feelermember. As thefeeler-tip or contact point By adjustment'of this screw'tlie' displacestransversely outward the resulting stop-screw, which therefore restrictstheextent ofthe said relative turnin movement.

This stop-screw provided wit a lock-nut e to prevent accidental loss ofadjustment.

The bufi'er which serves as a cushioning 6O 1 delicacy of action in thecase of the feelerstop for the forward :troke of the feelercarrierconsists of a pad 3) of suitable cushioning material that is fastened bymeans of one or more screws 1 and washers p to the upright portion orarm of the feelerstand 10, in position to be encountered by the outerarm of the feeler-carrier 8 at the end of the forward stroke produced.as a resultv of the mass of filling in the shuttle being carried againstthe feeler-tip or contactoint in the beating-up movement of the lay.referably, this cushion is so located as to arrest the overthrow of thefeeler-carrier due to the momentum derived from the for- Ward push thatis transmitted to it.- In other Words, the cushion is located a trifleclear ofthe position that would be reached by the feeler-carrier in itsforward strokebut for the overthrow.

For the purpose of latching the feeler devices out of operation whenrequired, I

" provide a hole 1- in the top of the front of action, because the'feeler-point or contact-- the feeler-stand 10, and a corresponding hole1" in the feeler-carrier in a position to cause the tWo holes toregister when the feeler-carrier is moved forward against the cushion orclose to the cushion. "When it is desired to lock the feeler-carrierforward,

I push a locking pin into the registering holes, and by means of thesaid pin, the feeler-carrier is held locked in a forwardly retractedpositlon, motionless and out of point is held forward out of position tobe engagedby the filling upon the filling-carrier. A suitable lockingpin isrepresentcd at s in Fig. 27. Other forms of latching or lockingmeans may be employed for the I purpose. 4 0

Fig. 28 illustrates the second form of embodiment, in which the carrier8 for the feeler-member is mounted to slide in a straight line in theguide 8, it being held normally in its rearward position by the tensionof an expanding spiral spring 8 surrounding its stem 8. In this form ofembodiment I employ a tension-spring a" constituted by a contractingspiral spring having one end thereof connected with a pin projectingfrom the forwardly-extending arm'of the feeler-member a, and its otherextremity connected with a screw o applied to an upstanding lug of anoutwardly projecting portion of the carrier 8 The threaded, stem of thesaid screw has adjusting nuts 0, 0, applied to the same at oppositesides of the said lug,'by means ofwhi'ch the screw may be shiftedendwise to vary thetension of the spring as may be required in order tosecure the required 18, and which serve more immediately in calling therequired change in the operation of theloom, these are shown in detailin Figs. 4 to 8. The dog 22 is as heretofore overweighted at the frontof its pivot23 so that the forward arm of the said dog normally remainsdown with its laterally projecting pin 22 resting upon the top of thesupportin -arm 24 and the engaging shoulder 22 0. its rear arm heldabove and clear of the path of the striker 28 carried by weft-hammer 29.As, heretofore, also, when the controller 18 is 'swung around its pivot19 in consequence of the action of the actuator j of the feeleranenibera. against the outer end 18 of the controller, the inwardly-projectingarm of the. controller passes rearward over and in contact with thecam-incline 22 on the top of the rear arm of the dog. The pressure ofthe rear- Wardly-moving arm of the controller against the saidcam-incline tilts the dog and de presses the shoulder 22 of the {loginto the its forward stroke acts to move the dog forward for indicatingpurposes. By wayof illustration, I have shown the parts combined to stopthe loom by releasing the shipper-handle when the feeler acts to bringabout the forward movement of the dog. To this end, the supporting-arm2A for this dog has a downward lug or projecti n1 24L located at therear of the knocking-01f lever 40. Consequently, when the dog andsupporting-arm are moved forward, the lug or projection 24 causes thelever .40 to swing forward around its pivot 41, and to dislodge theshipper-handle 42 from the retaining notch therefor in the slot 43 inwhich the shipper-handle works. As illustrated, the knocking-off lever40 is arranged to be operated also by the weft-fork slide 27 when thelatter is moved, forward on detection of weftabsence, in order to bringabout unshipping and stoppage of the loom because tail of the weft-forkoperated to carry the striker 28 iii under the rear arm of the dogbefore the weft-fork slide began to move the knockingofi lever forward.Then the forward movement of such lever operated to carry .the dogforward under the Controller 18. As this movement proceeded, the forwardpassage of the cam-shaped portion of the dog beneath the controllerfirst caused the rear arm to take bearing upon'the top of thestrikerQzind then operated to force the controller upward, therebystraining the controller and its pivotal mounting. To obpath of thestriker 28, which thereupon in viate this, I mount the dog upon the arm24, independently of theknocking-olf lever, and provide such arm withthe depending .ilugto actuate the knocking-E lever when I the armis'pushed forward. .Consequently,

"the knocking-off lever may be moved for- 1ward through her forwardmovement of the weftforl t slide without occa'sioning'forward movementof the dog, and't'he undesirable action above described is obviated. Igain .also an advantage in being able' to set the striker and theshoulder 22 in closer relationswith each other, insuring greatercertainty-in respect of the engagement of the I strikerwith' theshoulder as the striker moves contro ler is actuated by the actuator,

forward. To prevent the-- controller from passing entirely off from therear arm of the do as a result of overthrow wheInfthe III,- nish" thesaid arm at the rear of thecamincline 22" with an upstandingSlJOP-PlOfiC- tion 22,which limits the extent of the rearward movementof the inwardly-extending arm of the controller. a

In the present G()I1Stll1(5tl()ll, tlle arm 24 is mounted loosely uponthesupporting shaft 25, or it might be upona simple stud.

To hold the said arm normally in its rear I with its upstanding portionthe front of the brcast=beam furnished with a counterward position,resting agalnst 11, the stud arm is weight 24". When it is desired toutilize the movement of the arm forward under the control of thefeelerrnotion to control Hthe' weft-replenishing instrumentalities thesaid arm may be made first by a set-screw the to the shaft upon which itis mounted, and the latter will be combined operatively withreplenishing instrumentalities. .The "weft-fork slide is shown engagedwith the amt 30 fast upon. shaft 31. The latter, in

7 practice, has combined with it devices for arresting "the taking-upaction and lettingback, as customary in connection with weftstof)mechanism in looms.

claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a movable feeler-carrier, a laterally-movablefeeler mounted thereon adapted to be displaced laterally by pressure ofa substantially-denuded weft lling carrier against the feeler-tip, and

a projecting feeler-tip, of a tubular compressible brace or reinforcefor said feelertip carried by the feeler carrier and extend of thefeelcr-tip and carried by the feelercarrier.

- 3. The combination with a feeler-tip having a stem, and a split braceor reinforce surrounding said stem, of a feeler-member having a splitsocket within whichthe, split brace or reinforceand stem are held by theclosing of the split socket upon them.

' 4. In a feeler-motion, in combination, a

controller, a movable carrier, a; feeler-memv ber mounted on saidcarrier and adapted to be displaced laterally ,by contact rssure, saidfeeler-member having an angn arly-adjustable arm, and acontroller-actuator longitudinally adjustable upon said arm;

5. In a feeler-motion,"-in combination, a

controller, a movable carrier, a feeler-merm \ber ounted on said carrierand adapted to be isplaced laterally by .contactressure',

said feeler-member having an angu arly-adjustable arm having anactuator-socket, and a controller-actuator having a stem occu ying saidsocket and longitudinally adjusta le relative to the arm.

6. In a feeler-motion, the combination with a movable carrier, and afeeler-member and an actuator operatlvely combined with" each other andmounted on said carrier, of. a j

controller and a separately formed engag-,

ing member combined with the controller and adapted for coiiperationwith said act11-' ator, the said member being made of hardwear-resisting material and adjustable on the controller relatively tothe actuator.

' 7. In a feeler'motion, in combination, a movable carrier, afeeler-member mounted on said carrier with capacity for lateraldisplacement, an actuator combined 'with sa d feeler-member withcapacity for adjustment both laterally and longitudinally, a

controller, and an actuator-engaging mom ber cOlDbll'lQfl. with thecontroller with capacity .for adjustment longitudinally.

8. In a feeler-motion, in combination a movable carrier, a feeler-member mounted thereonhavi'ng a laterally adjustable arm;

having a socket, anactuator mounted in said socket in the laterallyadjustable arm and itself adjustable longitudinally, acontroller havmgasocket, andjan actuator-engaging member mounted in said socket and adustable longitudinally.

9. In a feeler-motion, the combination with a carrier, :1laterally-displaceable feeler-nlember mountedthemon, and a flexare-spring acting upon the feeler-member to hold the same normally andyieldingly in a de finite position, of means for adjusting sald tensionat will by flexing the spring more or less.

. 10; In a .feeler-motion, the coi'nbination' with a carrier, and alaterallydisplaceable feeler-member mounted thereon,- of a straightspring engaging with the said feeler-member to hold the same normall andyieldingly in a definite position, and ad justing means for bending thesaid spring more or less and thereby varying its tensions and that ofthe feelermiember,

11. In a feelenanotion. the

comb ination with the carrier, and a laterally-displaceablefeeler-member mounted thereon, of a straight spring engaging with thesaid feeler-member, a non-rotating cap engaging with the spring, andanadjusting screw operatively combined with said cap and by means ofwhich the spring may be bowed more or less to adjust the tension of thespring and of the feeler-niember.

12. In loom, in combination, a wefthammer provided with a striker, aweftfo-rk, a weft-fork slide, a knocking-off lever adapted to be opeiated by movement of said slide, an overweighted catch having acani-formation, feeler-devices having a controller that extends into,position for cooperation with said cam-formation and by action upon thecam-formation places the catch in the path of the striker, and aseparate support for said catch o'peratively combined with the means forcalling a change in the operation of the loom.

13. In a loom, in combination, means for calling a change including apivotally mounted catch provided with a stop thereon, and feeler-devicesincluding a controller-actuator and a controller, the said stop adaptedto limit the extent of the movement of the controller that is producedby the actuator, to thereby prevent the controller from passi entirelyoff from the catch.

14. kind which slips sidewise on the denuded or partially denudedfilling carrier when it side-slipping feeler member of the calls thechange, and provided with a contact tip made of vulcanized fiber, saidtip receiving the whole impactot the filling or filling-carrier andadapted to slip while onduring the impact pressure.

15. A side-slipping feeler member having a contact tip of vulcanizedfiber and a pivotal mounting having its axis offset from the directionof push of the filling or fillingoarrier on said tip, said member beingor- .ganized to receive the whole impact of said filling orfilling-carrier against said fiber tip and to call the change by virtueof the slipping of the said tip thereon.

16., In a feeler'motion, a side-slipping feeler member having a contacttip formed with projecting yarn penetrating portions and pivotallymounted on a carrier on an axis offset from the line of push on saidtip, and means for adjustably varying the extent of said ofi'set.

17. In a feeler motion, a feeler-carrier, a feeler having a contact tipof vulcanized fiber engaged by the filling and pivoted on the carrier onan aXis offset from the line of push on said tip, a sprin fordetermining the position of said tip v lien receiving the push, andmeans-for changing said position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.t

' HENRY A. OWEN. Witnesses:

NATHAN B. DAY, CHAS. F. RANDALL.

